The Twergs through the years

The TWERGS (L - R) Jerome Buhay, Binggy Lopez,

Jonjie Deomano, Bong Berbano, Mhel Garrido

I remember Former Senator Butz Aquino talking at the High School covered courts and was talking about his brother Ninoy. The one statement I remember him say was that “High School is the best time of your life! Your friends during high school are your friends forever!” After hearing that I looked to my left and looked to my right and said to the Lord, “ If these are the friends that I will have for life , then the Lord must have a grudge on me!- He gave me the rotten ones” But true to the statement I now realize that the friends I had in High School are the friends who i still have now - 25 years after we first became friends.

Jerome with Agnes and their daughter Ines

When we got to our second year in High School our class was reshuffled and I eventually got new classmates and new friends. The new barkada I eventually got were former classmates in grade school, Binggy Lopez was a grade four classmate, Jonjie Deomano from Grade 5, Allan Navarro from Grade 6, Alex San Diego and Jerome Buhay from grade 7. Add to that Bong Berbano and Benny Paez then you have a group called the Twergs.

Jonjie Deomano with wife Malou

and kids Jacob and Ninay

Our class moderator Mr. DJ delos Reyes was so fond of our group that he named us the TWERGS. It was a name that would stick to us till now. He said the inspiration for the word came from the word Twerp which as we know is a dimwit, a birdbrain or a bonehead. Mr. delos Reyes just made it classier and made the letter P into a G so as to invent another word. But the meaning is close to the original one.

Bong with Lyn and Abby

I remember the time when we first got out to meet girls from Maryknoll during their annual dance. It is what we perceive as the anniversary of our barkada and the start of a great friendship. There were so much happy times together during soirees, drinking sessions, birthday parties, dance parties, fairs and many more. For me my life then was spending time and laughing with this great barkada of mine.

My family, Mama Mae, Elaiza and Manang Beth

After high school we all had different paths, Deo and Binggy went to UP, Bong started out at UP Los Banos but eventually transferred to UP. Jerome and Benny went to DLSU, Allan went to another school for fourth year HS and eventually to UST. I made it to the Ateneo but graduated in PSBA. Through the years we’ve always been in touch and was always there for each other. In first year HS Deo’s dad passed away, in the mid 90’s my parents separated, Alland andJ erome also got separated from their wives and just recently Bong’s dad passed away. Through the years the bond that we started twenty five years ago is still evident today.

Binggy with wife Donna and son Miguel

Today we celebrated our 25 years of friendship, too bad some friends from our original barkada is not here to celebrate with us. Allan Navarro is now in the US, Benny Paez is now in Germany and Alex San Diego is based in Mindanao. Binggy who is a businessman went there with his wife Donna and son Miguel. Deo who has been in the banking industry brought along his wife Malou and kids Jacob and Ninay. Bong who is now working at the Entrepreneurship School of Asia brought along his girlfriend Lyn and and Lyn’s daughter Abby. Jerome who handles his own business was with his wife Agnes, daughter Ines, and parents Tito Roger and Tita Letty.

I just hope that the next twenty five years of our friendship would become happier for all of us

* Thanks Binggy for these great photos